Education Beat EdSource

California lawmakers set the average class size for transitional kindergarten, a new grade for four-year-olds, at 24 kids, with 1 adult for every 12 students.



It’s generally agreed upon in early education field that smaller class sizes and more adults make for higher quality preschool, with more one-on-one attention and better supervision. In many preschools licensed by the state, one adult is required for every 8 children.



But some districts are not staffing their TK classrooms to meet the 1:12 ratio, or they’re going over the class size. Some teachers say it's a safety issue.



Guests:




David Hunter, Transitional kindergarten teacher, Fresno Unified



Lasherica Thornton, Reporter, EdSource




Read more from EdSource:




These districts and charters were fined for violating TK requirements



TK staffing ratios are often unmet, teachers say; why some districts escape fines

As a wave of protests on university campuses call for a ceasefire in Gaza and for universities to divest from companies with military ties to Israel, student journalists have emerged as crucial sources of information. 



At some schools, student journalists are the only regular source of news on campus grounds, especially when campuses have shut down to non-students. In some cases, they’ve scooped mainstream media, with the most accurate, up-to-date coverage. 



Increasingly, student journalists are doing this work under threats of arrest and violence.



Guests:




Chris Woodard, Managing editor, The State Hornet



Betty Márquez Rosales, Reporter, EdSource



Mallika Seshadri, Reporter, EdSource




Read more from EdSource: As protests surge across college campuses, student journalists report from the front lines



Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.

California has one of the lowest rates of English literacy in the U.S. Almost one third of adults in the state can do little more than fill out a basic form or read a very simple piece of writing in English. Many of them are immigrants.



Experts say programs aimed at addressing poor literacy reach only a fraction of adults who need help. One way to reach them is to bring classes directly to the workplace.



Guests:




Marcelina Chamu, Janitor



Emma Gallegos, Reporter, EdSource




Read more from EdSource: When you can't read a medicine bottle: California immigrants struggle with low English literacy



Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.

Almost 2,000 teachers across California received notices they might be laid off this year, a huge increase compared to last year. School districts are facing budget cuts, with federal Covid relief funding expiring, enrollment declining and state funding leveling off.



Although some who got these "pink slips" will ultimately be asked to stay on, teachers say the threat of being laid off is demoralizing and layoffs affect the ability of districts to recruit new teachers.



With California experiencing an ongoing teacher shortage, what is the impact of this flood of pink slips on schools and teachers?



Guests:




Jacob Willis, Second grade teacher, San Diego Unified School District



Diana Lambert, Reporter, EdSource




Read more from EdSource: Anxious California teachers with pink slips await word on jobs next school year



Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.

Sam Prater knows what it feels like to be homeless. After he dropped out of high school, he was evicted twice in his hometown of Detroit. So when he saw homeless students being offered just 14 days in college dorms in California, he knew he had to try something different.



Prater's organization now has four homes in L.A. that offer wraparound services to young people experiencing homelessness, to help them jump-start their lives and their college education. A visit offers a peek at what these homes offer.



Guests:




Sam Prater, Founder, Los Angeles Room & Board



Betty Márquez Rosales, Reporter, EdSource




Read more from EdSource: 'No place like this.' L.A. home helps young adults live beyond survival mode



Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.

Financial aid and admissions officers across California's colleges and universities are navigating longer hours and more stress, as they deal with unprecedented havoc in this year's rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid form.



Hear from financial aid workers as they help students and their families navigate the application morass.



Why has California seen heavier impacts from the FAFSA delays? And what is the state doing to mitigate the fallout?



Guests:




Kamila Juarez, graduating senior, Grace Davis High School



Sonia Jethani, director of financial aid and scholarships at CSU East Bay



Jeanette Phillips, director of financial aid and scholarships at Cal Poly Pomona



Jessica Wagoner, senior associate vice president for enrollment management and services at Cal Poly Pomona




Read more from EdSource:




California’s universities navigate unprecedented FAFSA mistakes and delays 



FAFSA delays make it difficult for students to finalize college decisions




Education Beat is a weekly podcast. This episode is hosted by EdSource’s Ashley A. Smith and produced by Coby McDonald.